The Life of Bishop Wilfrid

End of the preface of Stephen the priest: of the birth of Saint Wilfrid the bishop and of a portent.

So, with the help of God, and by the merits of the Saint himself, I will begin the life of the holy Bishop Wilfrid, whom the Lord, in the words of the most excellent teacher, “foreknew and predestinated, called, justified and glorified.”” For even from the womb of his most pious mother, a sign from God proved him to be sanctified, even as Jeremiah heard the Lord’s word saying, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee: and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” For while his mother, worn out by the pain of her travail, was lying in her house with the women about her, some men who were standing outside suddenly saw the house apparently on fire, the flames rising to the heavens. They all came running from every direction in excitement and terror, eager to quench the flames with water and to rescue the inhabitants from the fire. But the women of the house met them and said, ‘“‘Stand back and wait, for an infant has just been born into this world.” When they saw this they were amazed and recognized the mighty works of God, even as Moses saw the flame which was roaring in the bush and yet consuming nothing. Now, brethren, we frequently read that the Holy Spirit has appeared in the form of fire, for God is a fire consuming sinners and enlightening the righteous. This light the Lord has commanded to be set, not under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and through our blessed bishop it has shone openly upon almost all the churches of Britain, even as the omens foretold: and events afterwards gave proof of them.